The Personnel

The most important factors you need to consider of any boarding stable or ranch are the people who work there. Who will be taking care of your horse? Who will be maintaining the facilities? Find out who owns the stable. Learn about their background. Know who manages the horses. Ask questions. Talk to the person who runs the business office. Learn how they collect board (cash, check, Venmo, etc)? At many stables, this is all the same person.

Find out who the other boarders are. Visit the facility and ask questions of the current boarders. Do they like it there? What are some things they would like to see changed? How well do they get along with the barn manager and/or owners? Do the current boarders seem like people you would want to spend time with? Can you picture yourself as one of them?

The Facility

The second most important consideration is the facility. Here are some things you will want to look out for:

• What is your first initial impression of the facility? Do you like the look and feel of the place as you drive in, as you walk around? Do things look neglected?
• Look at the other horses being boarded. Do they look healthy? happy?
• Look at the quality of the pasture fencing as well as the stalls and barns. Check for maintenance concerns.
• How does the stable take care of manure? Does the barn look sanitary?
• Where is access to water for each horse?
• Does board include access to a secure tack room or personal space for your belongings?
• Look at how the materials are treated. Do you see stable equipment lying around? Are hoses properly coiled up? Is there access to pitchfork and wheelbarrow?
• What amenities are there: arena, wash stalls, round pen, etc. Find out if these are included in the board.

The Cost

Money is usually the first thing people consider because let’s face it, horses are expensive!! Do your homework. Research the cost of board at several facilities. Compare the services and amenities at each facility against the cost of the board.

Be on the lookout for facilities that “nickel and dime” borders for every little convenience. Be sure you know what your board includes and what it does not include. Ask to read the boarding contract prior to making a decision about boarding your horse at a particular stable.

Consider how far away the barn is from your home. Factor in the cost of commuting to visit your horse with the cost of board.

Services

As stated above, know exactly what services and amenities your board includes and what it does not include. Ask about feeding and general care routines. Some barns offer self-care where you feed and take care of the horse yourself. Other barns offer full board where the horse is fed for you. Some barns provide feed and hay, other barns expect you to provide your own feed and hay. Some offer shavings, some do not. Find out exactly what services the stable includes with the board.

Find out if the stable offers lessons. If the stable has a busy lesson schedule, the environment might be more active rather than peaceful. Spend time at the stable to get a feel for the space.

Above all, don’t be afraid to ask questions or visit multiple times before deciding to board your horse at a particular stable or ranch. If the owners have a problem with all your questions, then that tells you their barn is not the right place for your horse.

We certainly invite you to visit Hawk Feather Ranch and consider us as a place your horse can call home. We treat everybody’s horses with the same care and love we treat our own horses. Visit our “About Us” page to learn more about who we are and how we might be able to help you.